1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to mail boxes and more particularly relates to a new and improved rural type mail box provided with a false floor directing mail through a selectively movable and hingedly mounted door to enable mail to drop into an associated hollow post wherein such mail may be selectively accessed through a rear lockable door.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of mail box apparatus is well known in the prior art. As may be appreciated, there are various mail boxes for use for various purposes, such as distinguishing between residential and commercial use in terms of capacity and convenience for a postal delivery service. Mail boxes of the prior art have included apparatus incorporating special features to enhance a particular need of a user of the associated mail box. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,506,646 to Kolstad illustrates the use of a mail box formed with an underlying directed conduit for positioning within a wall of a building to enable directing of mail from exteriorly of said building to an interior access door. While being an effective solution to delivering mail internally of a building through a wall structure, the Kolstad patent does not provide any means for the selective storage of mail within a hollow support post.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,405,730 to Bankson provides a mail box to uniformly stack letter mail in a desired orientation within a compartment underlying an opening in the mail box and is of interest relative to the instant invention in the general structural orientation of an overlying chute and an underlying mail storage compartment, but in essence is of a structure an function remote from the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,919 to Morgan provides a plurality of doors, one overlying the other, wherein the underlying doors provided with a latch mechanism to provide selective access thereto. The overlying door is coordinated involving a cam mechanism to lift a trap door upon opening of the upper compartment to enable deposit of mail into the lower compartment. While an effective organization, the Morgan patent is of a relatively complex and awkward structure, as opposed to the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,344 to Earie wherein a pivotal door located medially in an upper deposit chamber when returned to an upright position deposits mail into a lower chamber. The Earie patent does not provide selective use of a storage compartment in association with a hollow support post, as opposed to the instant invention which simplifies and eases the use of a storage mail box organization.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,869 to Brown sets forth a rectangular post wherein a letter box is pivotal at an uppermost portion of the rectangular housing to enable deposit of mail to an underlying part of said housing. Associated weights are operable in conjunction with the letter box to normally close the letter box when not in use to avoid introduction of unwanted foreign matter therein.
As such, it may be appreciated that there is a continuing need for a new and improved storage mail box which addresses both the problem of simplicity and effectiveness, and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.